


Not Entirely Sporting

by MK_Yujji



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Gen, M/M, accusations of inappropriateness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-13 17:45:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5711359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MK_Yujji/pseuds/MK_Yujji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone makes some upsetting assumptions about Steve.  Grace sets them straight, but it's left to Danny to sort out Steve's doubts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Entirely Sporting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bookworm84](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworm84/gifts).



> written for bookworm84 in the Winter in Hawaii exchange. 
> 
> Kind of strung together the prompts of kidnapping and interaction between Steve, Danny, and Grace and then veered almost entirely to the left. Got a lot more angsty than I intended, but there's humor mixed in, so yay? ^_^;;
> 
> I hope you like it.
> 
> For the potential trigger warnings, click down to the notes at the bottom. There's nothing graphic, but potentially triggering things are discussed. Be aware that doing so will spoil a large chunk of the plot, but take care of your mental health!

Sometimes Steve McGarrett wonders exactly when his life became so ridiculous. His years in the Navy had been rough, of course. Intense and fraught with danger and distress, but at least it had always made _sense_. 

Going out for beer would never have ended with someone holding a gun in his face while he was in the Navy.

"I really think that you should put the gun down before you hurt yourself," he says, staying calm in the face of a teenager who's anything but.

"No, I think you need to shut up."

Steve huffs and shakes his head. The kid has no idea what he's doing. He's left himself easily open in a dozen different ways and he hasn't even taken the safety off on the gun. There's no immediate danger here and he has to know exactly why some kid he's never even seen before thinks it's a good idea to hold a gun on him.

Especially given that it's broad daylight and they're on his front lawn. 

If the neighbors haven't already called the cops and Five-0, he'll be very surprised. Hopefully he can resolve this before anyone else actually shows up. Danny's never going to let him live down the fact that a _kid_ got the jump on him.

"You know who I am, kid?"

"Steve McGarrett. Head of the governor's special task force." The boy makes a face like he's swallowed a bucket of lemons. 

It's usually only hardened criminals that find his name so distasteful, but Steve sets it aside for the moment. One thing at a time. "So you know that this isn't going to end well for you. You're what? Fifteen?"

He looks about Grace's age. Thinking about his partner's daughter sparks a memory and he frowns. "Aren't you in Gracie's class?"

"Shut up! Don't call her that!" Even with the safety on, Steve is a little concerned by the wild way the boy is flailing the gun around. Accidents happen every day and it's clear this kid doesn't know anything about guns beyond what he learned in video games. "In fact, don't even say her name at all. You don't have the right!"

"Right," Steve draws it out, wondering if there are drugs involved. "Pretty sure Grace and her father get to make that call, not you. Look, kid. What's your name? Why don't you tell me what this is all about, all right? I'm sure we can get it sorted without anyone getting hurt."

The gun steadies back into a more stable aim at his face. He looks determined in a way that would be more worrisome if he wasn't running on pure bravado. "My name is David and I'm saving them from you."

Steve pulls up, confused. "Saving who?"

"Grace and Lucy! They can't even see what a predator you are, but _I can_. I know all about your sort. They call it grooming, but I won't let you get away with it." 

It's probably the most offensive thing anyone has ever said about Steve to his face. His fists clench and he draws up to his full height, almost military straight in his stance. "Where the _hell_ did you ever get the crazy idea that I would- I would _never_ hurt- Gracie is my _family_!"

A little uncertainty and fear starts to shine through David's bluff as he jumps back a step further out of Steve's reach. He shakes his head violently and waves the gun again. "No, I saw it on -on tv. About- And they never _shut up_ about you. Uncle Steve says this and Commander Steve says that and _I'm going to marry Commander Steve when I'm old enough_. And there I am, trying to explain to them about, about predators and being a friend and I might as well not even exist, should I, since all they can ever even think about is _you_! I'm a nice guy, I'm trying to help them and they're so stupid!" 

In the distance, Steve can make out the sound of sirens, but even ahead of that, the squeal of tires that can only really belong to Danny and the Camaro. Forget the teasing. He can only imagine how spectacularly Danny is going to go off on this kid. "Yeah, you're a regular Prince Charming, waving a gun at people and calling them stupid."

"It'll be okay," the kid says, nodding like he's trying to convince himself. "Once I take care of you, they'll see. They'll understand."

Steve forces himself to take a deep breath and not let his temper get the better of him. He's pretty sure he knows exactly who this is, thinks he remembers hearing Grace complain about one of the creepier guys at school always following her and Lucy around, misquoting crime statistics at them.

The rumble of the Camaro is just up the street now and he knows there's no way he's going to be able to talk this kid down before Danny gets involved. He still has to try, though. "Look. I'm not saying that the things you're talking about don't happen. They do. But this is not how you deal with it if you think it's happening, okay? You talk to a teacher or the police or-"

"You are the police!" David screams. He seems oblivious to the car that swings up into the McGarrett driveway. 

Steve isn't, though, and he glances up to see Danny swinging out with his gun drawn. He keeps the kid distracted even as he watches his partner. "Then you go to her father. Trust me when I say that he would definitely sort something like that out, no matter who it was."

There's a moment where Danny looks him up and down for blood. There's none to see, thankfully, and Steve can see the way Danny slumps with relief. Then the passenger side door opens up and all that tension is right back as Grace steps out.

"David?"

David swings around and gapes at Grace. "Grace... What are you-"

He doesn't finish the question because Steve figures this has gone on long enough. He moves quickly and quietly, swiping the gun out of the kid's hand before he can actually point it at anyone else. "You need to stop playing so many video games, kid."

A half a dozen police cars swarm in and Steve is glad to stand back and let them deal with the paperwork for once. 

"You all right, babe?" Danny asks, tucking his gun away and walking right up into Steve's personal space. He spends a minute, just tugging him this way and that to make sure that first once over had been correct. 

"Yeah. There wasn't any real danger." He holds up the gun to show the locked safety. 

Danny pushes his shoulder. "Don't scare me like that. All they said over the air was that you were being held at gunpoint. I know Wo Fat is dead, but still…"

He nods and opens his arms for a hug. Five-0 had made more than its fair share of enemies over the years and he already had too long of a list before he'd even come home. Wo Fat had been at the top, but he'd had plentiful company. He can't imagine that he'd react very well if he'd heard the same call.

There's sharp smack of skin and bone and a loud yelp and they both turn to see Grace shaking her fist while David curls in on himself. The surrounding police officers don't really seem to know what to make of it. There are confused looks all around until Duke walks up shaking his head. "Miss Grace, he's restrained. It's not entirely sporting of you."

Grace looks more aggravated than contrite as she nods and apologizes - to Duke, not to David. 

She ducks past them as Duke gets it all sorted and starts leading David towards one of the cruisers. "Sorry, Uncle Steve. I tried to tell him it wasn't like that." She sighs and rolls her eyes. "Boys."

"Well, he wanted to do the right thing," Steve allows. It's easier to be generous now that he doesn't have a gun pointed in his face. Also, he's pretty sure the story of Grace punching him is going to end up all over the school long before the kid gets back. If his mother doesn't just pull him out and move. "He just wasn't doing it for the right reason. Or going about it in the right way."

"This is why you should just become a nun, monkey," Danny adds, always willing to use circumstances to underscore all the reasons he thought Grace should avoid all contact with boys forever. 

Smiling, Grace ducks under and between them and wraps an arm around them both. "I can't become a nun, Danno. I'm not Catholic. And I already knew David had issues, so… Am I going to get into trouble for hitting him?"

Danny makes a face, tilting his head back and forth like he's considering it. Then he brushes a kiss against her hair. She's almost as tall as he is these days, even if Danny won't actually admit it. "Well, just this once I think we can claim extenuating circumstances as long as he doesn't press charges."

"He won't like admitting that a girl hit him," Grace says with confidence. 

They all share a little laugh at that. 

It doesn't take long to get things sorted when no one actually got hurt. They'll let the kid stew in lock up for a while until his mother can be reached. Hopefully it'll be enough to make him really consider his actions and how much worse it could have been. Once the last cruiser pulls out of the driveway, Steve is left with just Danny and Grace, who had apparently been coming to surprise him with a visit when they heard the call go out over the scanner.

He should probably be annoyed at the way Danny just invites himself and Grace over without even asking if he had plans for the day, but honestly, he doesn't mind. It isn't how he'd planned to spend his day off, but it's a lot better than the home improvement project he'd been considering or the lounging on the lanai with a beer all by himself that he'd eventually decided on. Plus, his beer run had kind of been interrupted.

The day passes in easy camaraderie as Grace and Steve tease Danny into the water for a while. It doesn't last long before Danny makes excuses to go sit on the lanai and just heckles them from dry land while they play in the surf.

It isn't until later, when Steve's watching Danny make himself at home in front of the grill from one of his deck chairs while Grace lounges in the sun to dry off that he really starts dwelling on the events of the morning. 

His gaze wanders over to settle on Grace and he frowns.

What is he doing that could be construed as predatory? He loves Grace and he knows that he's never made any secret of that. She's always been an easy kid to love. Hell, he's probably loved her since before he even met her, given the way Danny lights up like the sun any time she comes up in conversation. He'd known her better than he did Mary within a week of knowing Danny even if it had taken almost a month before they'd been introduced.

He loves her, but he's never once thought about her body as anything but an extension of her personality. Well, and something to keep fine tuned for all the sports she likes. He'd stepped in to help her train because they'd both known Danny hated to exert himself any more than he absolutely had to.

Was that a mistake?

Should he have asked Kono to help her?

Or is it the times he's watched her while Danny went on dates?

Nothing untoward had happened or would have happened in a million years, but he supposes it could have looked bad from an outsider's point of view.

"I can see the steam coming out of your ears, babe." Danny's practically on top of him and Steve starts a little. No one else could have gotten so close without registering on his defenses. "What's got the hamster wheel turning so fast?"

He bites his lip and shrugs. "It's nothing."

"Don't do that," Danny says, nudging him with a hip to the shoulder. "Do not just shut down on me like that. How many times do I gotta tell you? You do not shut your partner out. That's not how this works."

Huffing, Steve rolls his eyes and stretches further back against the chair. And if the move just happens to push him more firmly into Danny, well… That's just incidental. "I was just wondering…"

The words trail off and he's not sure he wants to set off the potential powder keg that comes with reminding Danny of exactly what accusations had been flying around that morning. 

"Yes, Steven?"

The tone of voice, half exaggerated patience and half gentle mocking and entirely fond, makes Steve smile for a second before it slips away again. 

"I was just wondering what I'm doing wrong that makes people think I'd prey on Gracie like that."

Danny doesn't explode. He just sighs gustily as if Steve is a trial that he's resigned himself to bearing. "You might note that not a single one of those fine police officers this morning asked me if I wanted you brought in for questioning. Which would seem to indicate that people do not, in fact, think you'd prey on Grace."

"But it happens Danny, we both know it does. And the kid was right about one thing - cops are well known for turning a blind eye to the crimes of other law enforcement."

"Do you honestly think that _I_ would turn a blind eye to anyone preying on my little girl?" Danny asked, his voice on the dangerous side of calm. 

Luckily, Steve not only knew the right answer to that question, he believed it wholeheartedly. "Absolutely not."

"And do you think I would ignore or be completely ignorant if she were displaying any of the warning signs?"

"No."

"And do you think that I have, in any way shape or form, left Grace in a position where she wouldn't think she could tell me if someone was making her even slightly uncomfortable?"

"No. But just because you know that I would never hurt Gracie doesn't mean that other people don't think that I'm taking advantage of our partnership to…to…" He can't even say it. It's too abhorrent to even _think_ let alone give voice to.

"No one thinks that." Danny's voice is fierce as he shakes Steve's shoulder before sliding his hand around Steve's neck and squeezing tightly. "Hey, listen to me. Trust me. There is no one out there besides one very disturbed fifteen-year-old boy who thinks that you're capable of that, okay?"

"Danno's right, Uncle Steve," Grace says, startling Steve. He hadn't realized she'd joined them. Apparently he's got two people who can sneak right past his defenses without him even noticing. He's not as upset about it as he probably should be. "I'll talk to Lucy about the marrying thing, but honestly most people think you're with Danno, anyways."

That makes them both gape at her and she rolls her eyes and sighs. "Boys."

_fin_

**Author's Note:**

> Potential trigger warnings: Grooming a minor for potential future abuse and potential police corruption are mentioned, but the accusations are false and made by a person with highly dubious motives. depictions of a violent, sexist teenage boy.


End file.
